Intervention
by orpsgod
Summary: Jack and James on the Pearl. What else do you need? Adventure? possibly. Snark and sarcasm? most likely. Not slash. Please read and comment.
1. Chapter 1

Intervention

He sat there, kicked back in his chair, feet crossed on the table, every little bit taking a drink from the rum cradled in his lap, watching. A smile flickered at the corners of his mouth as he observed the ruckus across the barroom. He had to give the man credit for sure; he was giving a fine account of himself against the three currently crossing blades with him. And despite his scruffily drunken appearance was showing only a hint of unsteadiness in his bearing, and quite a bit of grace, skill, and sureness, with not a hint of fear, doubt, or hesitation to be seen. The man's eyes and countenance displayed naught but complete confidence in his ability to win this fight. Of course Jack would have expected no less from this particular man, would have been sorely disappointed if the man had acted any different. And he had to admit the man's performance stoked his ego a bit, made all the times he had outwitted or danced just outside this man's reach that much more vainglorious. Aye, he had to admit he couldn't have a better _antagonist_ if he'd chosen him personally. It was too bad he'd come across the man fallen to these depths though. Sort of took some of the edge off of his ego stoking, although it was clear the man still held quite a bit of his former irritating pluck and bloody uppity attitude.

As she returned from the bar with more drinks AnnaMaria nodded toward the altercation and huffed, "Are ya gonna sit here all day and watch that?"

Jack looked over at her with a wink and a smile as he took the mug she was holding out to him, "Don't hardly think it'd be gonna take all day Anna luv."

Gibbs took another of the mugs, and with a greedy look at the mug and a brief tip of the mug toward the fight added, "He'd be right bout that Anna, peers it's about over 'n those scalawags 'r gonna find out why it'd be bad luck ta challenge someone ya got not the slightest idea of who'd they'd be 'r which side o good their skills with a sword might happen ta be leanin toward."

With another huff and a glare at both the men sitting there she settled down at the table and began on her own mug of rum.

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James had managed to disarm one of his attackers, and in the doing of same, inflict a wound that, though not all that grave, was enough to give the man second thoughts about engaging further in the fray. Now he had only to dispatch the other two and he could hopefully return to his rum, if it hadn't been purloined by one of the many other disreputable occupants of the tavern as had happened the last time he had been engaged in such a manner. And blast and bugger if it had, he'd just ordered it and had taken naught but one swallow of it before being accosted by these blackguards, the bloody thing had still been full and already paid for. He quickly gave the table he had been occupying a glance, and seeing the mug still sitting there waiting for him stepped up his attack. Suddenly something cracked against the back of his head and the next moment he found himself on hands and knees on the floor trying to shake off the daze enveloping his senses as he blurrily watched his sword skitter across the tavern floor. A moment after that one of his attackers kick him sharply in the ribs half doubling him up and almost causing him to loose his balance and land over on his side. With a string of curses he tried to get to his feet but once again was kicked, in the stomach this time, and with enough force it raised him a bit off the ground and knocked his breath from him. That kick was swiftly followed by one to his backside that sent him sprawling full out on the floor. He could hear rapid footsteps approaching as he lay there with his eyes clenched shut in pain. The rest of the patrons of the tavern must be going to join in now, now that he was weaponless and in such a vulnerable position. Well if that was what was to be he would not go quietly. He marshaled every bit of his will power and reserve to launch what ever form of defense he could as he felt a rough hand grab him by the arm and pull him up off the floor. He started to struggle as best he could, tried to fight his way free of the restraining hand when a rather gruff voice, a voice he was sure he should know from somewhere, spoke close to his ear and put a moments pause to his struggle, "Easy there lad, jest belay all that 'n we'll get ya out o here, 'n hopefully we'll all still be in one piece when we do." As his arm was draped over the speaker's shoulder he tried to focus his eyes and look over at the man supporting him. "I should know you from somewhere should I not?" James said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The man smiled a bit as he answered, "Aye, served under ya when ya first come ta the Caribe."

James closed his eyes once more as he tried to make sense of the man's words and put a name to the face. Before he was able to even begin such ponderings however his eyes snapped open and a curse left his lips as another familiar voice broke into his revere, this voice took only a second to put a name and face to.

"Sparrow!" James spat out as his eyes fell on the man standing slightly to the side and in front of him.

Jack cast a brief smile in his direction, "Ah, glad ta see ya've not been grossly 'n hideously disordered bodily in any visibly judge-able manner what would make ya fully uncomprehendin of the situation we happen ta be in at the moment Commodore, make it easier ta haul yer arse out o here 'n rescue ya so to speak if yer able ta help a little in the transport ya see."

"What makes you think I would consider having my _arse_ hauled out of here by a Pirate and _transported _off to anywhere a more agreeable state of affairs than my previous situation?"

"Just a thought Commodore." Jack said, then without waiting for a reply turned his attention back to speak to the dozen or so men with blades raised threateningly standing between them and the way out.

With a wide smile and a flop of his hands as he rocked back and forth on his heels Jack said, "Now I'm sure we can come to an accord without any more violence Gents."

One of the men at the front of the group moved forward a step or two, "We owe 'im just what 'e was getting, been nothing but trouble fer all o us since showin up 'ere. Most of us 'r carryin scars of some sort caused by 'im. 'sides there'd only be three o you against all o us."

The men around him shook their swords and shouted in agreement.

Jack didn't waste a moment in replying, "Ah, but despite your astounding bit of calculationary arithmetical supposition I am about to offer you an accord you would be computorially inept to decline. Savvy?"

As the men's blades lowered a bit and they stared at Jack a little blankly he pulled a pouch from his pocket and dangled it in front of them, "Enough coin to make you very content, and very drunk I might add, for the foreseeable future, or at least the next week gentlemen, and I take this misbegotten yeasty codpiece off yer hands. Wot say you to that gents?"

As they looked back and forth at each other trying to decide what to do Jack tossed the pouch at the nearest one and called back to Gibbs, "Time to go!" and they made a hurried exit from the tavern.

To Be Continued

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5


	2. Chapter 2

Intervention

Chapter 2

With AnnaMaria keeping a watch behind them they made their way toward the Pearl. By the time they had made half the distance James had forced himself to forgo a good deal of Gibbs helping hand and was hobbling along favoring his side but mostly under his own power.

"Would you mind enlightening me as to just what that was back there?" James directed at Jack, who was presently swaying along beside him.

Jack's hands fluttered around in front of him as he answered, "That would be what one, if one was of a mind to be doing such ya understand, would possibly, perchance-ly and perhaps-ly for that matter, be calling a broil, a fracas, a fuss, a scuffle, a squabble, a tiff, a tussle, an imbroglio if you will." Pausing to rock back on his heels and tip his head to the side as he peered at James he continued, "Really Commodore, I'd not have hesitated ta bet me swag on ya havin the wits about ya ta be figurin that out on yer onsies, leastwise afore ya just so obviously 'n prominently made yer ignorantical tendencies in the matter known."

James flashed Jack an _I am now envisioning the most satisfying mental image of my hands around your throat choking you into unconsciousness and am marshalling every bit of my self control to keep from actually following through with that action_ expression before huffing and retorting, "I am fully aware it was a fight Sparrow. Why did you intervene?"

Jack smiled, winked, and raised both index fingers, "Ah, that is an intriguing question now init?" and with a wiggling of his fingers between himself and James resumed his sway off toward the Pearl. As AnnaMaria and Gibbs passed him AnnaMaria snuffed loudly and snapped, "Ya comin Navy?"

James watched the Pirate swagger away, cast a look back from where they had just come, dropped his head and stood there with his thumb and two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose for several minutes before snorting and saying aloud, "I suppose wise madness is better than foolish sanity." and followed after the others.

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"If you mean to hold me in custody in order to claim a ransom from the Navy I will caution you my worth to them has declined rather sharply in the past few months." James said as he and Jack stood on the quarterdeck shortly after setting sail.

Jack looked over at James with a smile, "Wouldn't be the bloody Navy I'd be wastin me time ransomin ya to anyways mate. Me thoughts on the matter would tend ta lean toward the auctionin of yer former fine naval self off ta the highest bidder amongst the scalawags that would no doubt be willin ta pay quite a bit of shiny ta be in possession of the Great Pirate Hunter, much more n yer Navy'd offer, savvy?"

James dropped his eyes to the deck and said quietly, "I must admit I had not considered that prospect."

"By appearances ya haven't considered yer current overwhelmin state of dishevelment and egregious lack of personal hygiene either. I'm doubtin even the aforementioned scalawags'd be wantin ya in yer presently unpresentable state former Commodore, proly have ta pay them ta take yer bloody arse off me hands." Jack replied.

James snapped green eyes up to glare at Jack and retort with more than a little sarcasm, "So sorry, I found the facilities there less than conducive to maintaining any manner of personal hygiene, not to mention my own inadequate mental state."

Jack leaned over till his nose was inches from James, then with a grimace he quickly rocked back away from the man, "You smell funny. Definitely gonna have ta do somfin bout that former Commodore." With hands flopping about between them he continued, "What say you we tie a rope round yer waist and toss ya over the side and tow ya along behind the Pearl for a league 'r two? That ought ta about do it. What say ya to that former Commodore?"

James straightened his back and shoulders and gave Jack his most no nonsense expression, "My reply to that would be as follows, I would do my best to make sure that rope found its way around your scurrilous neck long before it found its way around my person."

With a shrug of his shoulders, a flutter of fingers, and a tip of his head to the side he replied, "Aye, on second thought I kin kinda see why ya might not be warmin up ta that particular idea." Then turning and calling out for Mr. Gibbs so suddenly that James actually jumped a bit he told Joshamee to prepare a bath for the former Commodore.

A disbelieving expression flashed across James' face at the command. After a few moments of pondering the recent actions of the Pirate he cleared his throat and spoke, "You have thrown me off a bit here Sparrow, well actually quite a bit, and truthfully I must say I have been thrown off since you intervened back there in the tavern. Why are you doing this?"

Jack smiled a wide glittering smile as he made unorganized flopping gestures with his hands and arms and swayed back and forth, "Ah! Why indeed. And the ponderin of that very question could perhaps propagate all manner of answers ta that very question former Commodore, course not all of 'em in fact would be actually and categorically classified as true and factual answers or even anywhere near categorically classified true and factual and or actually factual answers, or for that matter comin anywhere close ta answerin factually the question, said question and or answer in and of themselves as it were possibly considered prodigiously and infinitely inclined, speakin here of course of the why you so perspicuously enunciated and perceivably expressed, dependin as it were on the answerer of that very question and being unanswerable once the answerer of same did due ponderin upon it. Savvy?"

James gave a moue, "You have no intention of answering my question do you?"

"Always knew ya was the perceptive sort." Jack answered with a wink and a smile just as Mr. Gibbs returned to announce the bath was ready. "This way if you please former Commodore." Jack said as he motioned toward his cabin.

James rolled his eyes and shook his head as he muttered to himself, "Well regardless of what is to be my fate at least I shall meet it in a cleanly manner."

To Be Continued

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5


	3. Chapter 3

Intervention

Chapter 3

"So we're gonna hold 'im for ransom then Cap'n?" Gibbs asked.

"Mr. Gibbs," Jack said as he stepped over and leaned in to the man, fluttering his hands about as he spoke, "Correct me here if I am wrong, which I usually am not by the way, but you do know who we have here do you not?"

"Aye, the Pirate Hunter is who we've got Cap'n." Gibbs replied with a smile as he fought the urge to rub his hands together in greed, "Bring more 'n a fine price from quite a few of the scalawags if it was known we had 'im I'm thinkin."

Jack rocked back a bit on his heels and with a waving of his hands said, "And that Mr. Gibbs is exactly the very reason I am the one ta be doin the thinking. Because the thinking on this particular matter must be done with a certain thought as to what line of thinking…or thought as it were will bring about certain future outcomes that in fact one would think beneficial to the particular livelihood of certain persons currently present and or in this general vicinity that clearly would not be the thought of outcome if one were to place a different person in the position that should in fact be thought of as belonging to another particular person who happens to be currently present and or also in the general vicinity and as such any thoughts on the matter should be focused on reforming said person and restoring that person to the position it seems he has banished all thoughts of."

"Eh?" Gibbs replied.

Jack shook his head in a bit of aggravation, "Mr. Gibbs, being as we are rascals and scoundrels…and really bad eggs, and are mostly engaged in unlawful pursuits ta gain our swag and shiny it would be much more better to have the man who is chasing us to _not_ be a rascal and scoundrel …and really bad egg, savvy?"

"So yer sayin stead o ransomin the Commodore we're gonna send 'im back ta start chase us all over again? Somehow that don't seem quite right Jack." Gibbs replied with a quizzical expression.

"Funny ole world init." Jack said with a glittering smile and a flutter of fingers, then a few moments later the smile left his face as he added, "Now all we have to do is convince the former Commodore that is in fact what he wants to do."

"N how do ya expect ta manage that?"

"M still workin on it." Jack replied.

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"I have absolutely no intention of returning to Port Royal." James snapped as he took a pull from the rum bottle.

Jack's hands wavered over the rum bottle as he thought about grabbing it away from the former Commodore. Catching the glare of those green eyes focused on him he dropped his hands away from the bottle.

"Not even fer me former Commodore?" Jack coaxed a puppy dog expression on his face.

"Especially not for you." James replied dryly and took another swig.

"Ya weren't meant ta be a rum pot deckhand takin orders from pirates former Commodore." Jack tried again.

Spreading his arms wide and with a snarky expression on his face James retorted, "Yet here I am."

Jack frowned and swayed over to get his own bottle of rum, his mind working to come up with arguments and then discarding them as unusable. He returned to the table and sat down across from James, still thinking. After a few moments of silence and a few pulls from the rum he said, "Never judged ya as a quitter former Commodore."

With a sharp rueful laugh James slumped back in his chair and replied, "I did not judge myself in that light either, at least before….", his tone fading into nothingness.

Peering at James out of the corner of his eye Jack said, "They've not cashiered ya yet former Commodore."

James jerked upright and in a tone full of self disgust replied, "Might as well have if not out and out hung me. I have lost two of the most valuable ships in the Caribbean as well as a number of good men, and established beyond a doubt I was unable to fulfill the duty I was charged with because I allowed irrational compulsion to take over for good judgment and common sense. I have more than proved I do not deserve to be Commodore of Port Royal…. or husband either it seems." James finished his statement by taking an extra long drink from the rum bottle.

Jack leaned across the table and with a rare serious expression and tone spoke, "Aye, n all things you'll have ta square with James." As he tapped his finger on the rum bottle James was holding he continued, "But I'll guarantee ya you'll not find the answers at the bottom o that, savvy?"

James snorted and then replied sarcastically, "Words of wisdom _Captain_ Sparrow?"

Jack sat back in his chair, "Fer those that'd be of a mind ta listen."

James paused a moment, then snorted, "I do not see anyone of that inclination currently present _Captain_." and took another drink.

"More's the pity fer that former Commodore." Jack replied as he took a drink from his own bottle.

To Be Continued

Comments are Appreciated

4


	4. Chapter 4

Intervention

Chapter 4

"'M just sayin he's unnervin the crew the way he's stalkin about and glaring…'specially the glarin." Gibbs said, "Somfin needs ta be done bout that Jack."

Jack rocked back on his heels and waved his hands around in front of him, "Yer tellin me the whole crew of the Black Pearl….the most legendary 'n feared ship on the ocean…..is afraid of one little former Commodore?"

"He ain't really all that little when ya get right down to it, an he does manifest a mighty convincin glare when he takes the notion. 'N 'sides by all rights wasn't this particular crew what gave the Pearl that reputation when ya get right down to it Jack, 'n this crew'd hardly be livin up ta that ilk if truth was known." Gibbs replied.

"Mr. Gibbs that's slander and calumny 'n castin aspersions toward me Pearl!" Jack snapped.

"I'd never malign the Pearl Jack, you know that. I'm just sayin somfin needs ta be done about it fore we make port again, elsewise more 'n likely will be you, me, and Cotton…n Cotton's parrot as well I guess though what's transpirin in that particular birds head is a mystery, mannin the Pearl." Joshamee replied.

"AnnaMaria." Jack said.

"Eh?" Gibbs replied with a questioning look.

"Eh?" Jack said with a momentary questioning look back at Joshamee, then with a sudden, 'Oh right!' he went on, "You forgot AnnaMaria."

Gibbs looked at the ground and shook his head, "No I didn't."

"What?" Jack said a bit taken aback, "Ya mean AnnaMaria too?"

"Aye, she's no love for the Navy Jack, 'specially that particular navy, you know that." Gibbs replied.

With a pouty expression as he swayed off Jack said, "Aye then, I'll see what kin be done."

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Jack was not unaware as he headed off to find James that there was another possible outcome that Joshamee had been loath to mention. Jack would not take the chance of that happening again. "Ya have ta desist in the intimidatin intimidation of me crew former Commodore." Jack said as he sat down across from James in the galley.

"No I do not." James retorted.

Jack leaned in toward James as he said very seriously, "Yes, really ya do former Commodore, cause much as I'd hate ta do it if it comes between loosin me Pearl again and tossin ya overboard I don't think it'd be hard ta figure out which of them choices I'd be choosin. Savvy?"

James heard the intensity in Jack's tone and saw it reflected in his eyes. With a huff he said, "Very well _Captain_, I shall do my best not to further discompose your crew."

Jack immediately brightened and gave James a glittering smile and a flutter of his hands, "S'all good then former Commodore."

"So it would seem." James snarked.

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"I'm havin a thought here James, I may call you James may I not?" Jack said.

"I think regardless of my response you will do as you wish." James replied dryly.

Jack smiled, "Right. You may call me Jack if you wish."

"I do not _wish_ to do any such thing _Captain_." James snarked back.

"Oh aye, familiarity with pirates and all that eh James?" Jack retorted.

James glowered at him without responding, Jack's smile widened and he fluttered his hands around as he went on, "Me thought was this, we might as well engage in something other than staring matches while in each others company James, what say you to that?"

"How about pistols at twenty paces? Sounds good to me." James snipped, "Or there are always swords……."

Jack gave him a moue, "I was thinking more along the lines of a game of chess James, you do play do you not?"

"I do, I would never have suspected it was within your capabilities though." James retorted.

"Well then when I best you you can be delightfully surprised." Jack snarked.

"Who said I was going to play?" James replied, eyebrows raised.

"Ah, no confidence in yer abilities ta beat a pirate then James? Pity that." Jack said with a sad shake of his head as he watched James' reaction out of the corner of his eyes.

"Get the bloody board _Pirate_." James huffed.

Jack smiled widely as he walked over and took the chess game out of the cupboard, "Knew you'd warm up to the idea."

"Indeed!" James snapped.

To Be Continued

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4


	5. Chapter 5

Intervention

Chapter 5

"So you'd not be missin Port Royal nor the comraderish friendship of der William 'n the Bonny Lass nor bein in charge at Fort Charles at all James? No urges ta take that b'hemah of a boat….er ship out and be the Great Pirate Hunter once more? You'd prefer bein a rum pot deck hand, is that the case?" Jack asked with much fluttering of fingers from where he sat across the table from James, the chess game between them.

"It is your move _Captain_." Was James only reply.

"Yer not gonna answer me then?"

James looked up at Jack, his lips compressed in a thin line; jaw clenched, then pointed at the board and repeated, "It is your move _Captain_."

A bit disappointed, but not really surprised he hadn't gotten an answer to his inquiry Jack replied, "So it is."

Several moves later James sat staring at the chess board deep in thought. At first Jack thought he must be pondering his next move, but the stretch of time and the few quiet sighs sporadically coming from the man belied that idea. Jack reached out and moved one of his own chess pieces, and got no response. So he moved another, still no response. So he picked up three of James' pieces and removed them from the board. Still no response. So he removed the rest of James' pieces from the board. Nothing.

"Games over James." Jack leaned forward and said loudly into James' face.

Without moving, still staring at nothing he absently replied, "Hmm? Over? What's over?"

"The game mate, the game is over."

James nodded his head slightly, still not focusing, "Oh… the game."

Jack started to put the board and pieces away when James began to speak, more to himself than Jack, and Jack had to lean forward to hear clearly.

"I do miss the Turners, and Port Royal. But I have proven several times over I do not deserve the rank I attained and was fully unable to carry through with the duty and responsibilities I was charged with performing. I have disgraced not only the Navy but the Norrington name as well. The Navy would not be amiss in court marshalling me and throwing me out of the service if not worse. No, flotsam and jetsam eventually settle to the level they are meant to occupy and I more than deserve to spend the rest of my days a rum pot deck hand."

Jack sat back in his chair abandoning the task of putting the chess set away for the time being. Getting the Commodore back to his normal stuffy self and back in charge at Fort Charles was evidently going to prove more difficult than first thought. Not that the task would be impossible, he was after all Captain Jack Sparrow and refused to acknowledge failure, or at least refused to use that particular word. There were always numerous ways to go at a problem; the trick was finding the right one. But again he was Captain Jack Sparrow. He slid the chess set to the side of the table and swayed over and picked up a full bottle of rum and a couple of glasses, then grabbed another bottle and returned to the table. He poured one of the glasses full of rum and slid it and the bottle over in front of James, then filled his own glass, picked it and the bottle up and putting his feet up and crossing his ankles on the table settled back in his chair.

James, his movements showing he was still deep in thought, absently picked up the glass and drank from it. The biting taste of the liquor on his tongue brought him out of his revere. He peered intently at the glass for a moment as if debating internally whether to continue, and then threw back the rest of the contents, filled the glass again and raised it in a sarcastic salute as he looked over at Jack, "It appears I am not the only one who thinks my proper position is rum pot." And downed and once again refilled the glass.

"I'm thinkin don't much matter what I'm thinkin nor the way I'd be viewin the situation. The only thinkin 'r views that'd be matterin is yer own thoughts and views James." Jack said with a flop of his hand.

"Well I think I've made those more than perfectly clear….so cheers _Captain_." James said in an acrimonious tone with an expression that reflected the tone as he downed his third glass. Starting to refill it and then stopping he shoved the glass away from him. "My recent experiences have shown there is much less chance for spilth and in turn wasting of good liquor this way." and raised the bottle to his lips.

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James was still passed out by the sound of his soft snores against the table top when Jack entered the cabin the next morning. He himself had spent a good portion of the night at the wheel of his Pearl conversing with her about the Commodore and possible solutions to the problem. And once he convinced her none of the options entailed just throwing the bloody Navy git overboard or marooning him on some desolate spit of land somewhere he had been able to bounce different ideas off her and get her response.

Jack leaned over close to the man's ear and in a loud tone said, "Commodore!" He jerked back as the man moaned and flung a hand up to swat away the irritant. He leaned in again and a little louder this time shouted, "Commodore!" Again the man moaned and swatted. Jack, expecting the hand this time evaded it easily. He stood there for a moment staring at James, then with a happy "Ah!" left the cabin to return a few minutes later with a bucket of water in his hand which he dumped on the Commodore's head. Just as expected this brought a rather violent reaction as the man reared up off the table sputtering and swearing and shoving hair out of his face and looking around. He finally managed to blearily focus on Jack standing there with a glittering grin and a bucket in his hand. "What the bloody hell are you doing Sparrow?"

"That'd be the normal routine fer wakin rum pot deck hands aboard me Pearl James, 'specially the ones what has the bad luck ta be found passed out on the Captain's table." Jack said with a flip-flop of his hand.

James closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with thumb and index finger as he huffed and mumbled something about not waiting to be thrown overboard but jumping himself.

To Be Continued

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	6. Chapter 6

Intervention

Chapter 6

"There's a deck 'n a holystone callin yer name out there James." Jack said, although he did set a cup of hot tea on the table in front of the man.

"You are expecting me to scrub your deck?" James asked with raised eyebrows and a bit of his old Commodore-ly haughtier.

Jack shrugged his shoulders, tipped his head to the side, and with a little nod, a smile, and a wave of his hand replied, "Even rum pot Commodores what have taken a leave, so to speak, from their Commodore-ly duties 'n station have to earn their keep aboard me Pearl James. Can't have ya jest sittin around glarin at the crew now can we, bad for morale and all ya understand."

James frowned and picked up the cup of tea and took a sip, "Surely there is some other task I could be assigned."

"Ah," Jack said shaking his head in understanding, "Yer findin it a bit below yer dignity that task eh? Well if ya was still in charge….of Port Royal….'r Fort Charles….'r one of yer fine naval ships 'r anything for that matter 'n not just a rum pot deck hand then ya could be pickin 'n choosin yer own tasks. But seein as yer not in charge of all, or as a matter of fact, any of the aforementioned 'n ya are a rum pot deck hand then you'll do as your Captain, which'd be me by the way, orders ya ta do, savvy?"

With a grimace James snapped, "Yes I savvy Captain, and I will scrub your deck." Looking up at Jack he added, "You may demean and debase me to your hearts content, thinking no doubt to show me the error of my ways and make me long to return to my former life. But it will not work. I have allowed too many people, too many fine officers and sailors and their families to suffer. I do not deserve that life. I have proven that." He set the teacup down and stood, then offering a sarcastic little bow said, "Now by your leave, I have a deck to scrub."

Jack shook his head, frowned, and muttered a 'bugger' as the man walked out of the cabin.

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They heard the distant sound of guns firing, in waves, as if the ocean swells themselves were carrying the sound in their direction.

Jack came on deck and immediately opened his telescope and began to peruse the horizon, seeing nothing he called up to the man in the crows nest, "Can ya see anything from your vantage?"

"Nothin yet Cap'n….no wait….there….aye there…..off ta larboard Cap'n. Can't make 'em out too well at this distance but it appears a merchantman musta run afoul of some scalawags determined ta take their cargo. Don't seem like it'd be anything fer us ta get involved in Cap'n."

Jack snapped his telescope shut absently, his mind already working on a plan.

"Mr. Gibbs!" he shouted a few moments later, then jumped a bit when the man answered from right beside him. Turning to frown at the man he snipped in a high pitched voice, "Must you always be lurking about?"

Gibbs smiled and nodded, "Aye, tis part of me job Cap'n."

Jack looked at him for a few moments with suspicion, then smiled, "Oh well then well done Mr. Gibbs, now see what you can do about getting me ship from here," he pointed down at the deck with two wiggling index fingers to illustrate his words, "to over there." pointing in the direction of the two ships in the distance with the same wiggling index fingers, "With all due haste and speed if you please….er even if you don't please…..cause I please……" Then peering intently at Mr. Gibbs he added questioningly, "Why are you still here Mr. Gibbs? That doesn't seem to meet in any manner any of the requirements normally attributed to the phrase _with all due haste and speed_ now does it Mr. Gibbs?" As Joshamee opened his mouth to answer Jack held both hands up in front of him and made shooing motions toward the man, "Of with you now Mr. Gibbs….that's it….stop lurking here and go lurk where you can carry out me orders…..that's it…..off ya go now……..there's a good fellow."

Jack stood there for some time, his mind working on the glimmer of a plan that had struck him when he'd heard it was a merchantman being attacked. He smiled as he walked to the bow of the Pearl and opened his telescope. They had closed some of the distance between the Pearl and the two ships and Jack was able to make out that one of the ships was indeed a merchantman. The other ship he recognized as belonging to a scalawag by the name of Bloom he'd run into before and had certain dealings with that would have, if not for Jack's cleverness, turned out not to be in Jack's favor at all, nasty sort of man but not overly smart in Jack's opinion. He smiled to himself as he snapped his telescope shut once more and spoke to himself, "Funny old world init, how sometimes things just fall in place like they was meant ta happen….."

"What manner of things would you be referring to falling into place _Captain_?" the resonate tones of the Commodore's voice came from beside him.

Jack's hands snapped up in a warding off gesture as he turned half way around and rocked backward on his heels away from the man, his eyes squinting suspiciously, his mouth frowning, "Did Mr. Gibbs put you up to lurking in his place Commodore?"

Pulling himself up to his full height and assuming some of his Commodore-ly stance he said with outrage, "I DO NOT LURK."

Jack pointed an accusing finger at him, "Yet here you are doing that very thing. Lurking."

"I am not lurking." James reiterated in a huffy tone.

Still rocked back on his heels Jack cocked his head to the side and continued to give the man a suspicious look as he flopped his hands around at James, "Then just how _would _you explain your clearly lurking behavior Commodore?"

James rolled his eyes and snorted before answering in a tone that more than conveyed he felt he was talking to a child, or a half-wit, "I simply came to see what all the commotion was about."

"So you deny you are up to nefarious activities on Mr. Gibbs…or any other member of the crew….up to and including yerself's part? Is that what you are expecting me to believe here?" Jack asked in a mistrustful tone as he gestured wildly with his fingers.

James smirked, turned away from Jack, clasped his hands behind his back as he looked off at the two ships in the distance, "Believe what you want _Captain_."

To Be Continued

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	7. Chapter 7

Intervention

Chapter 7

"What's in yer mind Jack? Are ya thinkin o takin 'em both as prizes?" Joshamee asked, his tone clearly denoting he was for the idea, as he and Jack stood on the quarterdeck looking toward the two ships they were drawing close to.

Jack turned and peered at Gibbs for a moment before waving his hands about and answering, "A bit of intervenin is in me mind Mr. Gibbs, meant not only as intervening in the interaction of those two ships there but also perhaps bringin about a bit of intervention in the path that one formerly stuffy and overly decorated and much too shiny appearin Commodore has decided to interact with which would now put it up to us and in fact make it our duty to intervene and interact with same ta show him the error of his ways so to speak and intervene on his behalf ta show him just which path he should be interactin with fer the benefit of us all as it were."

Gibbs gave him a puzzled look, "What about the ships?"

Jack looked around the deck as if he were looking for something before pointing at the companionway and giving a happy little "Oh!'. As he swayed off he gave a fluttering wave of dismissal to Joshamee's inquiry, "Oh aye them, we'll be takin at least one of 'em I'd be thinkin." He paused a few feet into his departure to turn half way around and peer at Gibbs, wiggling his fingers about haphazardly as he rocked back and forth and said, "However it has been me past experience… in the past so to speak Mr. Gibbs that generally speakin, or in this case specifically speakin, to you as it were, when attackin with the intent of taking another ship as prize it most generally works out better for the attackin ship and less better in fact for the ship being attacked if the crew of said attackin ship is in an attackin state of mind and actually at the ready to do said attackin and mayhaps actually occupyin their _other ship attackin_ positions as it were, with pistol and musket and grappling hooks and sundry actually at the ready ta be used in such attack, if ya get me meanin here."

Gibbs rolled his eyes a bit, "I'll give the order and get the men ready Cap'n."

"Good man." Jack said with a glittering smile and a point of both index fingers at Joshamee, then turned and resumed his sway toward the companionway.

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"What 'r ya doing down here?" Jack inquired as he entered the galley in quest of a bottle of rum and found James, his back slumped against the bulkhead, his legs stretched out, ankles crossed, on the bench he was occupying.

"Fulfilling my station in life as a rum pot deck hand _Captain_." He sarcastically replied as he raised the rum bottle he had been cradling in his lap.

"In all actuality Mr. Norrington," Jack paused and smiled a bit as James, for an instant, bristled at the form of address he had used before continuing, "you are not, in point of fact on deck, more below deck as it were."

Continuing with the sarcasm in his tone, his smile as he spoke showing nothing but self-contempt said, "Well then I may certainly congratulate myself on lowering my standards even further for becoming not merely a rum pot deck hand but a lower deck rum pot deck hand. Perhaps tomorrow I shall lower myself even further and try the bilge."

"Well that all bein as it may I need ya on deck. Rum pot deck hand or no, below or above deck, yer still the best hand with a blade, other than meself of course, I've got and we're comin up on a couple o ships. I could use yer help." Jack replied.

"What makes you think I would want to help?" James asked as he took a pull from the bottle in his hand.

"If yer thowin yer former life away might as well toss it good, aye? N what better way than ta take up a bit o piratin, bout as opposite as ya can get ta yer former self, savvy?" Jack replied. As he saw the moue James was giving him he added, "Sides one o the ships happens ta be a merchantman, with passengers aboard by the looks of it, if yer not ready ta toss yer former life away as readily as ya thought I'll give ya a few men and ya can go try and defend that ship till we've taken care of the other and decide what's ta be done with said merchantman. What say you to that?"

James took one last swallow from the bottle, set it on the table, stood up, and headed for the door as he said, "Very well, I suppose it will be too noisy down here in a bit to drink in peace anyway."

Jack stood there until he heard the man's tread heavy on the companionway before smiling and saying aloud to himself, "Aye, I knew ya was still in there somewhere Commodore."

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They had been on the two ships engaged in battle and most of the Pearl's crew had boarded one or the other of the ships before they had been noticed. James, with a handful of Jack's crew following his lead, had fought the way across the pirate ship and onto the merchantman, where after an intense fifteen or twenty minutes of blades meeting blades and hand to hand combat in some cases, they had succeeded in cornering the pirates into a bunch at the bow of the ship. Jack, aboard Bloom's ship, was having similar success; the pirates were now contained at the bow of the ship, Mr. Gibbs and the crew guarding them. Jack looked around and finally saw Captain Bloom and several of his crew lying dead on the deck, "Mr. Gibbs, see to the disposal of those bodies and secure the rest of the lot down below. Then prepare to tow the ship."

"Aye Cap'n." Mr Gibbs replied and began to issue the orders to the crew.

Satisfied that things were well under control Jack swung across to the merchantman and began to sashay his way across the deck.

Most of the passengers, who had been huddled below deck, now that the fighting was done had started to come up on deck and were milling about speaking to each other in hushed tones, not only had they found their Captain had been killed in the battle, but a number of the crew as well, and were not at all sure, by the looks of their rescuers, that they had fallen in better hands.

James had spotted Jack coming aboard and headed off to meet him, intent on finding out just what he had in mind concerning the passengers. As he passed a group of the passengers he overhead a conversation going on between two of them.

"Things like this didn't happen when Commodore Norrington was in charge at Fort Charles."

He paused for a moment, lowering his head a bit as he listened.

"Pirates didn't dare attack ships anywhere near Jamaica with the Great Pirate Hunter and his mighty Man O War ready to swoop down upon them and haul them back to Port Royal to meet justice, that's more than sure." The man answered.

A woman standing adjacent to the men interjected, "With the good Commodore," this comment brought a wry smile to James' face, "gone and no one knowing what's happened to him the scalawags have become much too bold. Why just days before I boarded the ship for this journey I heard that Jack Sparrow fella had been seen in Port Royal, walking the streets just as bold as can be, right in plain daylight. It's a sorry state the world has come to when such as that can happen."

"And what is most troubling; with Commodore Norrington gone they'll place someone in charge that will become as corrupt and vile as the man that held the position before. There's too much profit to be made for a man without resolute standards and concern for the people he is supposed to be protecting, someone who is determined to serve others not just himself, to hold such a powerful position. From what I've seen myself and heard from others Commodore Norrington was a man of resolute standards, he will be sorely missed that's for sure. And we'll all be in a sorry lot again." The first man said with a shake of his head, the two others nodding their heads in agreement.

James, instead of continuing on toward Jack, went to the rail and leaned against it, his mind mulling over what he had just heard.

Jack had been watching, and although he had not been close enough to hear what had been said, he could tell by the expression on James' face what ever it was the passengers had said had a profound effect on the man. Well his plan had been to get the Commodore involved in saving the shipload of passengers aboard the merchantman and in the doing of such, improve his self-image to the point he would hopefully see he really should return to his post at Fort Charles. Perhaps whatever the passengers had said would work to that as well. But now he had other matters to take care of. Swaying over to the rail and leaping up to rock back and forth atop it, one hand holding the rigging, the other waving about grandly in front of him he faced the passengers, giving them a wide glittering smile as he began to speak, "Gentlemen…and Ladies, it is most fortuitous that you, in your time of peril was happened upon by us." Pausing in his statement to embellish it with a wide flourish of his arm at his crew, who answered with a bit of foot stomping and hoots and hollers he then continued, "Now I am sure most, if not all of ya, would be wonderin what it is that's to be done with you. And I'm more 'n happy ta ease any and all fears ya might be harborin on that account." He stood there swaying back and forth precariously, smiling at them long enough they began to mumble and stare and shuffle about. Finally one brave soul called out, "Well, what is it you intend to do with us?"

Jack looked at him a bit blankly for a second or two before giving an "Ah!" as he pointed both index fingers up in front of him and then quickly frowned and grabbed back a hold of the rigging as he started to overbalance on the rail. Once he had caught his balance he again graced them with a glittering smile and said, "You shall all continue on your nice little ship on your nice little voyage to wherever it is you happen to be voyaging to….unless any of you would like to turn pirate?" He paused for a moment an expectant look on his face waiting for any takers to speak up, which none did. With a little bit of a disappointed expression he said, "Well, I'll just take that as a no then." Looking around and finally spotting Joshamee he called out, "Mr. Gibbs, make sure all hands get back to me Pearl." Then grabbing the line he had swung over on, and balancing there for a moment he turned and with a waving of his arm said loudly, "You shall always remember this as the day you were fortunate enough to meet Captain Jack……." As he lost his balance and began a very ungraceful swing back to the other ship he finished his statement with a muttered, "Sparrow."

To Be Continued

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	8. Chapter 8

Intervention

Chapter 8

James, hands clasped behind his back, stood at the aft rail deep in thought as he absently watched the wake of the Pearl collide with the bow of the pirate ship they were towing. He more sensed Jack Sparrow approach than actually heard him. He briefly glanced over his shoulder at the man, then returned his gaze to the ship at the end of the tow line.

"You put those passengers up to that." James said.

"Put them up to what? Havin their ship attacked by pirates? If ya mull that statement over a bit it don't hardly make sense now does it?" Jack replied.

James rolled his eyes a bit, "Put them up to saying those things about me."

Jack leaned toward James with a grin, tilted his head to the side, and wiggling his fingers about said, "'n what was it they was sayin bout ya? Something sordid and of a sexually titilatin nature no doubt? I want ta hear every disgusting and perverted word."

James frowned over his shoulder at Jack, "Hardly, and even if it were I would not repeat it to you of all people."

Jack gave him a pouty look, "I'd tell you if someone was saying such things about me."

James snorted, "And be more than glad to repeat it, no doubt embellishing it ten fold in the retelling."

Jack shrugged as he flopped his hands about, "No sense in tellin a tale if ya can't fully capture the attention of your audience now is there?"

"Indeed." James replied with raised eyebrows. "So just how much did you have to pay them to say those things?"

Jack assumed a haughty demeanor as he retorted, "I'm not in the habit, despite your opinion of me, of just throwin my swag and shiny away, least wise not on things other than me Pearl, which in fact is not throwing it away…..course there are the whores and rum." With a smile he said, "Rum's good!"

James eyed him suspiciously, "So you are telling me you did not pay those people, nor have a hand in any way of persuading them to say the things they said?"

"Not so much as a farthing." Jack replied, then looking at his hands waving about in front of him added, "Nor hand either as it were." He continued to stare at his hands waving about for a moment as if he'd never seen them before, then gave himself a rapid shake as if to break the spell, and looked at James a bit blankly at first, then after another brief shake asked, "So just what was it they'd have said that's put ya inta such a state of perplexity?"

James continued to look at him with suspicion, and after a few moments Jack leaned over and put his arm around James shoulder and started to speak, "Ya know James, I am Captain Jack Sparrow," at this James gave a snort and a wry smile and removed Jack's arm from his shoulder. With a brief moue at James, then changing it to a smile as he waved his arms about and continued to speak, "And I am capable of many things both wondrous and amazing," this garnered another snort from James. Jack looked at him but chose to ignore the interruption and went on, "But as of yet even I've not found a way ta be in two places at once, savvy?"

James frowned, "What bearing has than on any of this?"

"Think back a bit James and the answer should be more 'n clear to ya." Jack said with a smile, his arm motions punctuating his words.

Again James frowned at him, "You are making no sense what so ever."

Jack pouted and retorted, "I am making sense," Then smiled and nodded his head, "I am in fact, if one was pondering my words as one should be," and pointedly looked at James, "making more than sense, I am in fact," and here his arms began making wide sweeping flips and flops around in the air, "making scads and slews and heaps and gobs of sense. It's you that'd be failing to see all the sense I'm making."

James gave him a snarky smile and in a matching tone said, "As would any other sane person in the vicinity."

Jack pouted for a moment or two and then once again began to speak, "Now James, I'm sure….er almost sure that is since it is you I'd be dealin with here…. you'd have to…or at least should be agreein on the point of fact that I'd no known way of knowing that I'd be happenin upon you, drunk and disorderly as you may have been at the time, in that little port in which I did in fact happen upon you, agreed?"

"Yes, I suppose that would be a valid assumption." James replied a bit irritated that what Jack had said did make some amount of sense and he had no choice but to agree.

"Well then," Jack said with a happy smile and tone,"ya can see from yer very own admission that what I've been trying to assure you of, that in fact I had nothing what so ever to do with those aboard that merchantman saying what ever it was that they said, of which I still don't have any idea of what that may have been, and that every word I have spoken to you on the matter is in fact the truth. And as I previously stated I am undeniably, unconditionally, undoubtedly, and utterly unable to be in two places at once."

"Oh please," James said with disgust, "now you are not making any sense… again."

"Alright James, think about this. We have been together since I picked you up in that little port…I with you….you with me….and as it were in each others company and….together as it were, have we not?"

"Yes, so?" James replied with a bit of irritation.

"Ah ha!" Jack said with a glittering grin and a wiggle of his fingers at James, "Well then James, if I was unawares that I was going to come across you before I did in fact come across you then I would not have made arrangements for some merchantman's passengers who I didn't know I was going to come across either to say what ever it is they said, and in point of fact, since you have agreed on the fact that we have been side by side since I did come across you, and I can in fact _not_ be in two places at once then it would be improbably for me to have made similar arrangements with said passengers once I did stumble across you, savvy?" Jack finished with a triumphant flourish of his hands.

James shook his head, pinched the bridge of his nose, and said, "Why do I continue to think there is some chance even the shortest of time spent speaking with you will _not_ result in giving me a raging headache."

To Be Continued

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	9. Chapter 9

Intervention

Chapter 9

James had been pacing back and forth for hours, and even though his eyes were cast down at the deck in front of him and not giving the crew the angry glares they had received on previous occasions they still gave the man a wide berth.

Jack swayed out of his cabin and then took a quick step back as James, so intent on his thoughts he was unaware Jack had stepped out in front of him, paced by. His eyes followed the man for a few moments before he sashayed over to the quarterdeck. With a nod of his head and a flop of his hand toward the Commodore he asked, "How long's that been goin on then?"

"Most o the night accordin to the crew." Mr. Gibbs replied.

Jack didn't respond, just continued to watch James pace. Joshamee could tell by the look on Jack's face, and the fact he was tapping his chin with a couple of fingers the man was deep in thought and with a shrug of his shoulders turned his attention back to the wheel allowing the conversation to drop.

xxx

"Why don't he watch where he's goin?" The short stocky crewman growled and gave the passing Commodore's back a murderous glare as he and his taller and much leaner companion were forced once again to stop the scrubbing of the deck they were involved in and jerk their hands back to keep from having them trod on by the pacing Commodore. The taller of the two sat back on his heels and rested the holystone in his lap as he watched the Commodore pass. In a very un-piratey and very 'educated' tone he said, "Mr. Norrington is no doubt trying to reconcile and resolve a number of conflicting issues as to just what course he should endeavor to pursue as to his futurity."

The shorter of the two gave a shrug and said, "He should be glad he don't have ta worry bout real things, like the scrubbing of this deck, aye?" He went back to scrubbing, but when a few moments later his companion hadn't begun to scrub along side of him he sat back and said, "I'm not doin this all me self."

"What if we didn't have to do it at all?" The taller man said, still watching the Commodore.

"Oh right, like Cap'n Jacks just gonna walk over here and say 'That's alright boys, no need ta be doin that. Go on 'n have yerselves a mug r three, I'll just get…..Commodore Bloody Norrington ta finish for ya.'"

"With that pacin he's doin wouldn't take but a little 'n he'd have it done." The tall one replied as if he were speaking his thoughts aloud. "Wouldn't have ta knock 'im in the head very hard, long as he was out for a minute 'r so we could have the holystones tied to his feet afore he knew what was happenin."

Catching on to what his friend was thinking the short one said, "What makes ya think he'd resume his pacin and not take off chasin us all over the deck?"

The tall one smiled and said, "Runnin's easier than scrubbin in my eyes 'n the deck gets done regardless of if it's done by pacin 'r chasin."

The shorter of the two stood up, holystone still in his hand, then reached down and pulled the taller man to his feet, holystone still in his hand as well. With a smile toward the Commodore he said, "Ya may be on ta somfin here."

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James had paced the length of the Pearl, turned around and had resumed his pacing back the way he had come. Jack swayed off the quarterdeck and headed toward him. About half way there he rocked back on his heels, threw his hands up in a warding off gesture, and let out a loud startled 'Bugger!" as Pintel and Ragetti suddenly jumped out in front of him from behind some stacked barrels brandishing holystones at him as they did.

A moment later when he recognized who it was, and realized it was not some manner of grievous tentacled beasty or vile undead being come to get him he snapped, "What the bloody hell are you two _doing_?"

The two, with dumbfounded looks on their faces stood there staring at Jack.

Recovering a bit from his startlement he said, "Gentlemen, I asked you a question, therefore it is customary, under normal circumstances of which I have my doubts this would indeed qualify under, for you to answer my question, savvy?"

With a sheepish smile on his face Pintel looked over at Ragetti and motioning with the holystone in his hand toward Jack said, "Cap'n."

Ragetti smiled a sheepish smile of his own and gesturing with his holystone replied, "Aye, not Mr. Norrington at all."

Now totally baffled by how they could possibly confuse him with Norrington, and the situation on a whole, he shook his head, then in a loud, slow, clear tone said, "Gentlemen…I…asked…you…a ….question."

At the sound of Jack's words they looked back at Jack, and scrambling for something to explain what they had been up to Pintel held the holystone up in Jack's face making scrubbing motions with it and rapidly jumbled out, "Just scrubbin the deck Cap'n, just like we was ordered ta do." He started to back away continuing to repeat those words and actions over and over. Ragetti, as he followed Pintel's lead and began to back away himself settled for a smile, a nod, and a hasty touch of hand to his forelock. Unfortunately he used the hand he was holding his holystone in to give that gesture of respect, leaving a very large and prominent red spot right in the middle of said forehead. Jack watched, still totally bewildered by their strange behavior, as they stumble over each other in their attempt to rapidly distance themselves from him. As he turned to continue on towards James he shook his head and said to himself, "N folks say I'm daft."

xx

He planted himself in James' path meaning to have a serious talk with him about resuming his Commodore-ly duties, and as the man came within several feet of him he said, "Commodore, a word if you please."

James looked up at him a bit unseeing at first, still lost in his thoughts, as he fully cast off the last of those thoughts that had taken over his mind he looked around and said, "Where are we?"

Jack rolled his eyes, shook his head as he frowned at the deck, and said to himself, "Wonderful, now the Commodore has gone daft as well, better have Gibbs check the water." Then looking back up at James he said slowly, as if speaking to a child, "We're on me Pearl James, no need ta worry, old Jacks here ta take care of ya."

James jerked his head back a bit, gave Jack a look as if he were daft, then rolled his eyes and huffed, "I know that, where are we in relation to Port Royal." After a short pause, and the chance for Jack's last words to sink in, he straightened his posture to one of Commodore-ly rigidity, glared at Jack with icy green eyes, and added with more than a bit of haughty indignation in his tone, "And if I did indeed need 'taking care of' as you put it you would be the last person I would want doing such!"

Jack gave him a glittering smile, gestured with flopping arms and hands in the direction of the Pearl's present heading, and said, "Port Royal about three days sail in that direction." Then with an even wider smile he wiggled his fingers at James as he rocked back and forth on his heels and said, "Welcome back Commodore."

James, an extremely snarky expression on his face, replied, "You may not hold to that sentiment once I am back aboard my Dauntless and her guns are blasting holes in your precious Pearl _Captain_."

Jack gave him an equally snarky expression in return, continuing to flutter his fingers about in front of him, "Ah, but ta be doin that Commodore ya see ya'd actually have ta get close ta me Pearl, savvy?"

The End

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